A review by samdalefox
Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality by Julia Shaw

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

The best book I've ever read on bisexuality. As a bi person myself, I fully endorse and recommend this book to queer people and straight people. Shaw's closing words perfectly capture my satisfaction with her work: “I wrote this book because this book didn't exist, and I had so many questions about bisexuality.” I particularly appreciate that it is not US-centric. Shaw writes predominently from a UK perspective, but draws examples from around the world.

It covers both the approach of bisexuality as a behaviour, and bisexuality as an identity. (Yes, these are different things.) It covers all the important territory concisely without feeling dismissive or sweeping. Topics covered include: the academic study and classification of bisexuality, bisexual researchers and activists, history of opression against bisexual people, specifics to biphobia such as double discrimination, specifics to bi culture and expression such as bi camoflage, and the intersectionality of gender, disability, race, and bisexuality. It explores the stereotypes attached to bisexuality too such as hypersexuality, threesomes, and polyamoury. I loved that the book also included copies of the McKinsey scale and Klein grid for the reader to fill out and reflect upon.

Although it covers tough subjects like discrimination, Shaw definitely shines through as hopeful and proud about her own bisexuality and consistently encourages bi people to also shine bright and connect with each other if they have the opportunity and privilege to do so. This is particuarly evident in the audiobook. "I worry that sometimes there's too much focus on the negatives of being part of a sexual minority. I think that we shouldn't ignore hardship. But also should not centre bisexual identities on it."


Favourite quotes

"It is not practical for most of us to get rid of labels entirely but we must also not attribute too much power or elegance to them."

"The bisexual activist Robyn Ochs defines bisexuality as "the potential to be attracted—romantically and/or sexually—to people of more than one sex and/or gender, not necessarily at the same time, not necessarily in the same way, and not necessarily to the same degree."

 

Valuing honesty impacts bisexuals differently to straight or gay people. Where all might uphold honesty as a family value only bisexuals grapple with how living day to day in a monogamous relationship might be interpreted as deceitful unless they disclose their bisexuality to others.

"The reason the alliance between bi and trans people is so natural is because both represent a fluidity and destruction of binaries that make people uncomfortable."

Three factors impacting mental health of bisexual people:
1) Double discrimination (monosexism from queer and hetero communities)
2) Isolation from queer community 
3) Internal biphobia 

Literarybear's review:

Diving into books on LGBTQ+ history can sometimes feel overwhelming. Where do I start? What should I already know? How do I narrow down to my specific interests? This book is incredibly helpful because it answers a lot of those questions for you. I found the text to be accessible, modern, and well-researched. It gives just enough history to orient the reader and provide context without becoming dull. The text also highlights many issues specific to the bi community, which seems difficult to find. Some sections address tough topics, but the author frames them well and the reader is made aware of what’s coming. This is a useful and easy to read text that should be widely read by those inside and outside the bisexual community.
Thanks to NetGalley and Abrams for this eARC.